Iowa State vs BYU Picks and Prediction for Friday October 9, 2026
The Iowa State Cyclones will head west Friday night for a Big 12 matchup in Provo, Utah, against the BYU Cougars. Kickoff is scheduled for 10:15 PM Eastern with coverage on ESPN. Iowa State comes into this game with a 3-2 overall record and a 1-1 mark in Big 12 play after hosting West Virginia last weekend. BYU returns home following a road game against TCU and enters Friday with a 4-0 record overall and a 2-0 record in conference action, ranked #8 in the land. BYU comes into this game as a -10.5-point favorite and -410 on the moneyline. Iowa State is listed at +320 with the total set at 46.5 points. For more College Action, see our College Football Picks.
Iowa State hunts the road upset
Jaylen Ranor is leading the Iowa State offense with 903 yards and six scores on 69 completions, along with 152 yards and three touchdowns on 42 carries. Aiden Flora is the top ball carrier on the roster with 594 yards and six scores on 73 carries. Dominic Overby is leading the team with 212 yards and one touchdown on 10 receptions. Cody Jackson has added 10 catches for 191 yards in one score, and Omari Hayes has chipped in 14 grabs for 190 yards and one touchdown this season. Vince Benetti has 6 catches for 62 yards and three scores.
The Iowa State offense did the work a week ago in their matchup with West Virginia, scoring 45 points, including 24 in the second half, on 577 total yards. Defensively, Iowa State did have issues giving up 42 points on 518 yards but forced 2 turnovers and allowed only five third-down conversions. Jaylen Raynor led the way for the Iowa State offense last week, completing 19 passes for 264 yards and two scores. Aiden Flora completed 2 passes for 48 yards and two scores and ran the ball 22 times for 212 yards and three touchdowns. Cody Jackson was the top receiver on the roster last week with 160 yards and one touchdown on 6 catches.
BYU tries to stay perfect
Bear Bachmeier is leading the BYU offense this season with 704 yards and six touchdowns on 55 completions, along with 130 yards and four scores on 27 carries. LJ Martin is the top ball carrier on the roster with 344 yards and three scores on 44 carries. Legend Glasker is leading the team with 279 yards and two touchdowns on 14 catches. Kyler Kasper has added 11 catches for 138 yards and two scores this season.
Offensively, BYU did just enough last week, scoring 17 points on 216 total yards. Defensively, BYU was phenomenal, giving up ten points on 259 total yards and forcing 1 turnover in the game. Bear Bachmeier led the way for the BYU offense last week, completing 11 passes for 62 yards and running the ball 15 times for a team-high 66 yards and two touchdowns. Kyler Kasper was a top receiver on the roster with 22 yards on 2 catches.
Iowa State vs BYU Picks and Prediction
Pick: BYU Cougars -10.5 (-108)
BYU has a good opportunity to pick up a conference win Friday against the Cyclones. The Cougars have enough offensive talent to move the football, but the Cyclones will make things difficult if they play well defensively. Iowa State will try to keep this game close and prevent BYU from creating too many big plays. The Cougars should benefit from playing at home, where they can put pressure on Iowa State throughout the game. BYU will need to avoid turnovers and take advantage of its scoring opportunities, but the Cougars should be able to do enough offensively to get past the Cyclones.
Pick: Under 46.5 (-112)
A defensive battle could be on the way Friday when Iowa State and BYU meet in a Big 12 matchup. Both teams have the ability to make things difficult for opposing offenses, and neither side should want to give away easy scoring opportunities. Iowa State will try to keep BYU from creating big plays, while the Cougars should look to slow down the Cyclones and force them into difficult situations. Turnovers and field position could play important roles, especially if the game stays close into the second half. Both teams should have stretches where they struggle to consistently move the football. Look for a competitive matchup with the scoring staying below the total.